Sectional switch box



June 5, 1928. 1,672,263

E. H. KRUSE SECTIONAL SWITCH BOX Filed March 22, 1923 W INVENTOR BY Y ATTORNEY Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. KBUSE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

SECTIONAL swr'ron Box;

1, Application filed March 22, 1923. Serial No. 52 ,729.

This invention relates to improvements in sectional switch boxes of that class provided with removable ends and which may be connected together in assembled groups.

The object of the improvement is to provide as to admit of their'being interchangeably assembled in gangs."

These obje ts are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview'of a box section of which the top, back and the bottom of the box embodying the invention is formed; v c Fig. 2' is a perspectiveview of an endplate interchangeably applicable .to the respective ends of the box section; and Fig. 3 is a plan View of a pair of box sections grouped together with end-plates in" position, a portion being broken away. v

The characters appearing in the description refer to parts shown in the drawings and designated thereon corresponding characters.

The invention consists ofa metallic box formed of a box section having a top 1, back 2 and bottom 3, and an end-plate 1 for closing each end of said section, the front of the box being open. The top 1 has at its left margin near its front a depression 5, in the center of which is a latch opening 6; the back 2 has in its left margin-at its top an opening 7 and the bottom 3 has at its rear end extending outwardly from its left margin a fulcrum 8 having a rearwardly extending hook 9, there being also a latch tongue 10 extending bottom 3 near its front, saidtongue having for holding from the left margin of the an upwardly projectinglugll. The bottom 3 has formed in its right margin near its front a recess 5 and a latch opening 6 in .thecenter; thereof; the back 2 has in-it's right bottom an opening 7 and the margin at the top 1 has at its rear end extending fromits right margin a-fulcrum'8"having a rearwardl extending hook 9,-"there being also a late tongue 10 extending from the right" margin of the top 1 near its front, said tongue having a downwardly projecting lug respective front ends oppositely disposed perforated ears 12 for the attachment of a switch member or other device (not shown), such as are ordinarily'mounted in, boxes of this class. I

The end-plate plicable to either side of the box section by reversing its position according to the side of the section to which it is applied- As illustrated in Fig. 2 the plate'has at its upper end near its front. a -laterally projecting latch tongue 13 having a downwardly protruding lug 1 1', the tongue being shaped to fit in the depression 5, and the lug, 1 L being located so as to engagein the latch opening 6 in the top 1. Also,

the plate has adjacent its top at its rear margin a lateral projecting fulcrumS having a rearwar ly extending book 9'. In the lower edge of the plate 4 near its front is the reception of the latch 10 on the bottom 3, and adjacent the lower edge of the plate at its rear margin is an opening 7 made for the reception of the hook 9 and fulcrum 8'on the bottom 3. By inverting the plate 4, the notch 15 and opening 7 have engaging relation respectively with the latch tongue 10 andthe hook 9 and fulcrum 8; and the hook 9". and the latch tongue -13 have engagement respectively in the open ing 7 in the back 2' and in'the recess 5 in the bottom 3. Thus, the plate may be at tached so as to close either one end or other of the box section. i

As shown in Fig. 3, two boxsections 16 and 17 respectively are connected together and their outer opposite ends are closed re- 4 is so formed'as to be ap-] a 1'1otch15 made for "00 v 11. The top and bottom each have'at their cavity 5 in the top of the section 17-and-its lug 11 has locking engagement in the latch opening 6 in the top of the section 17; Also, the bottoms of said sections are locked to gether similarly by the engagement -of the lug 11 0f the latch tongue 10, on the one section, in the latch opening ,6 in -the bottom of the-other section. In this manner additional sections may be added as required, and end plates are added to the group of sections at the outer ends of the outermost sections as previously described. .When thesections are connected together the fulcrum Son the-bottom of one section I bears upon the bottom of the adjacent section so that saidrbottoms areheld in a common ;plane and in'locked connection through themedium of the lug 11 on the one section and the latch opening 6 on the other; and the topofithe one connected section bears downwardly upon the fulcrum 8 of the other section when the lug 11 of the latter section is engaged .in the latch opening-6 in the topot'thefformer section. The sections being composed of thin sheet metal admits of their .tops and bottoms being sprung sufliciently out ofnormal position to efi'ect the engagement of the r respective latch members in the corresponding latch opening thefulcrums tending to sustain the-locked connections between the connected ops and between the connec ed bottoms by,

holding the. same alined in corresponding common planes.

What I claim -is:

1. In a switch, box, a section having top, bottom andback portions formingthe corresponding parts of the box, said top portion having in its left margin near the front a depression ,andlatch opening therein and having at its oppositeed-ge a laterally projectinglatch tongue with a downwardly projecting lug, andhaving also at its rear end a laterally "projecting fulcrum with a .rearwardly extending hook, said back portion having an opening at its upper left corner andlower right corner, and said bottom per,- tion'having at its left edge near its front a laterally projecting latch tongue with an upwardly project ng-lug, and al o a s rear end a laterally projecting fulcrum with a rearwardly extending hook, the opposite edge (of said-bottom portion havingnear its front a recess and latch opening therein; and an end-plate interchangeably applicable to the sides of said section, the top of said plate having a laterally projecting latch tongue with a downwardly extending lug and also at its rear end a laterally projecting fulcrum with a rearwardly'extending hook, there being in the lower end of said plate a notch for the reception of the latch tongue of said bottom portion and an opening for the reception of the corresponding fulcrum and hook.

2. In a-switch box,asection having integral top, back and bottom portions forming the corresponding parts of the box, said top and bottom portions each having in opposite arrangement alatch member at one side and la ohopeningat sonposi e s d nd havingals at ne side a ea a dlyox n ug ook, t re einglau opening n ea h.

n o s d back po on ear th s there-- f opposi e th liookon the adjacent 'por-' i nd a plate o 'olosin'geaoh' Side said ctionyoa h wl e hav'ing a't its a, and bottom means "ibr engagement with the latch n einbenhook, opening at the o respo ding Side of I aid section. ,7

-,(In a'jsoo ion l switch box, afls o on' ha g a a kro on and vtop and bo om po i n c n guo s th h back po tion, h edg of d sec ion having latch memb r, hook memb gih k opl niugi nd o k pen ng an atch.

la h opening a rang d (re i ely in" i reverse order "of succession to those of the o osite ide;- an p ateiorcl s ng ea id of .thes 'ction, aeroplane h ri.ngffat one. end a latch member and hook member" for ngag m n -re pect vely with the a h' openng hook open ng'at he r e p nding side of said section, "and at its opposite end a hook opening and a notch respectively'for the reception latch memb r on said e tion- In a s cti nal o 'box, a section having a back ortion and top bot om po tions contiguous with the backportiomeach edge of said section having a latch member, h k m mber; 11 01; op ning and la c op ing arranged ela i io y th rev rs o d of s ccession to those of h opposit e ge; and a plate engageable with said latch member, hook member, hook Opening and latch opening on either edge of said section inter: changeably, Sihidhook members'being located adjacent said back portion respectively on the top and bottom portions, and saidhook openings being made in the back portion respectively adjacent to the top and bottom portions, opposite the corresponding hook members, the latch member and latch-opening on the top and bottom portion being located adjacent the front ends thereof.

' 5. Ina switch box, a section having integral top,'bottom and backportions for-mingthe corresponding parts of the box, said top and bottom portions each "having ex-- opening at tending from their relatively oppositesides adjacent the back portion a lateral fulcrum member With a rearwardly extending hook, said back portion having therein a hook its top and bottom adjacent the sides thereof opposite said 'fulcrum' members, said top and bottom portions having near their forward ends at each side thereof a latch means; and a side of said sectlon, ea 1n connectlon therewith fulcrum member, latch means of said section.

In testimony W ggate for closing each 0 of which has means 10 engageahle with the the hook opening and the the corresponding side of hereof I aifix my signature. EDWARD I-L KRUSE. 

